Improvement in swinging berths



TENT FFICE.

BARTLETT W. BROWN, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SWINGING BERTHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,217, dated August 31, 1875 application led July 16, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BARTLETT W. BROWN, of Galveston, Galveston county, State of Texas, have invented an Improvement in Ships Berths; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a side elevation, with part of the front broken away to show the inner construction. Fig. 2 is a top view, and Fig. 8 a transverse section.

The object of my invention is to neutralize the e'ect of the roll and pitch of a steamer or other vessel upon the seas, by which an unpleasant sensation and often seasickness is produced upon the passengers; and it consists in hanging the berth of a steamer or other vessel in trunnions or journals at right angles to each other, similar to the gimbals in which the compass is held, and providing a space for baggage, the weight of which will answer the purpose of ballast to keep the berth in a steady position.

In the drawings, A represents a portion of the hull of a ship, and B the side of a stateroom. Into this side ofthe state-room B is a semicircular recess, into which the semi-cylindrical receptacle B is hung in the journals a. In the diameter of this receptacle is hung, by means of the journals b, another semi-cylindrical receptacle, C. The receptacle C contains in its upper portion a berth, D.

It will be noticed that, as the berth D is hung in. trunnions or journals at right angles to each other, the vessel may move in any direction without disturbing the horizontal position of the berth; but it is necessary to employ some ballast to keep the berth D in a horizontal position when itis occupied by a person, for it is desirable to have the center of gravity of the person as near thecenter of motion of the berth as possible, in order to give but little motion to the person. To provde a place for ballast, the lower part of each semi-cylinder is partitioned off, and openings E E made, both above and upon the side, through which the passengers baggage may be placed within the semi-cylindrical receptacle, and made to answer the purpose of ballast, while it utilizes the space which otherwise would be Waste. In fact, the reason why this mode of supporting ships7 berths has not been generally adopted is the great amount of space they occupy on shipboard; and I have, in my construction, avoided this diiiiculty by using the baggage of the passenger as ballast for the berth, While at the same time removing the great annoyance to passengers traveling at sea of having their baggage stored away in the hold of the vessel, where it is inaccessible.

Built upon the top of the berth D may be other berths, all of which will be held in a horizontal position if the lower one is, and if sufficient ballast is placed in the receptacle underneath.

My mode of suspending berths may also be employed in mounting pivot-guns on shipboard.

I am aware that compasses and other arti- A berth of a steamer or other vessel, consisting of the two 'semi-cylinders B and G, hungin journals at right angles to each other, and each provided with openings for the introduction of baggage or other ballast, substantially as described.

The above specification of my said invention signed and witnessed, at Galveston, this 12th day of July, A. D. 1875.

BARTLETT W. BROWN.

Witnesses:

R. D. JOHNSON, J.. W. Bone-ERS. 

